Speedball
After being given kinetic energy based powers in a laboratory accident, Robbie Baldwin became the hero Speedball. He blamed himself for the Stamford tragedy and remodeled himself as Penance, but now he's back continuing to atone for his past as Speedball, as a trainer to the Avengers Academy. Origin Robbie Baldwin is the son of Justin Baldwin, District Attorney of Springdale, Connecticut, and Maddy Naylor-Baldwin, a popular actress. His parents held very opposite views and often argued in front of Robbie, a fact made more poignant as their arguments often had to do with what Robbie should be doing with his life and future career. As a high school student, Robbie was interning at the Hammond Research Laboratory in Connecticut. There, Doctor Benson and two colleagues began the final stages of their attempts to tap an extra-dimensional energy source, but the researchers did not construct adequate safeguards and the energies began to overload Hammond Labs' equipment. Part of the energies fed back into the generator, shorting out the entire system. Unfortunately, Robbie had sneaked into the lab where the experiment was taking place, curious as to what all the hush-hush preparations had been for. Robbie was bombarded by energy from the dimension but survived, finding himself surrounded by weird energy bubbles, clad in an odd costume, and having a hollow and resonant voice. Panicking, Robbie sought to escape to the roof of the lab building where he encountered four masked gunmen. During the ensuing battle, Robbie discovered that his body now generated a kinetic energy field that protected him from any impact and made him a bouncing dynamo of kinetic energy. Shortly afterward, Robbie's parents were accosted by Johnny Roarke, a criminal Justin Baldwin had put away, and Robbie used his powers to defeat him. The media leaped to the story, reporting the appearance of a new hero, whom they dubbed "the Masked Marvel." Robbie continued to use his powers to fight crime, and the Masked Marvel enjoyed a great deal of popularity from the townspeople, although his parents held very diametrical and vocal views about the costumed vigilante. Baldwin was forced to keep his power under control, avoiding any potential contact that might trigger his powers. He also spent much of his time trying capture Dr. Benson's cat, Niels, who was similarly caught in the energy experiment and gained Speedball-like powers, and using him to help understand his powers. Powers and Abilities Robbie Baldwin's exposure to energy from a dimension of kinetic energy gave him the superhuman ability to create a kinetic field of unknown energy around himself which absorbs all kinetic energy directed against him (what he originally called the "Speedball Effect.") This absorption can vary from resisting the effects of physical objects such as bricks and rocks to resisting that of energy and fire and even explosions. Within his kinetic field it is nearly impossible for him to be hurt, and he instead bounces harmlessly from object to object, with no loss or transference of momentum. During his time with the New Warriors, Robbie's understanding of his powers grew in strange and unexpected directions. He discovered that if he bounced around to excess within a confined space such as a pipe, he could unleash a barrage of bubbles from it to powerful effect. Also in similar situations and confined spaces, such as within a telekinetic bubble created by teammate Justice, he could "float" within a sea of bubbles, that would, in some never fully explained or explored way, allow him to peer briefly into the future. This angle hasn't been explored or developed in a very long time. As Penance his powers seems to have altered and is now linked to his central nervous system, thus the best way to activate said nerve system is to inflict pain, which is why he wears a suit of armor with internal spikes. His powers no longer manifests as bubbles. They now appear to be in the form of energy blasts and lose force the longer they "let fly". It should also be noted that the spikes are indeed taking there toll on Robbie, originally, Robbie had flawless skin...Now his skin has many deep cuts, bloody wounds and nicks all along his body, Including his face. Seemingly, Robbie is getting better after talking to Doctor Samson, even showing signs of no longer needing Nerve stimulation for power..although he refused to go with Samson for more therapy, so whether or not Penance will go back to being Speedball remains to be unseen . Speedball now has the powers of Penance along with Original Speedball powers, So he is able to shoot kinetic energy blasts as well having his kinetic field which allows him to bounce off objects and resist the force of objects and energies. Category:Protagonists Category:Avengers